Salem school board OKs placing library levy on May ballot

The proposed levy would bring back items previously eliminated at the library.

D.A. WILKINSON

VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER

SALEM — The Salem Board of Education on Monday approved placing a levy for the Salem Public Library on the May 4 ballot.

Under state law, the school board had to approve the proposal. The board voted unanimously to approve the placement but made no comment.

Brad Stephens, the director of the public library, was at the meeting but did not speak.

Before the meeting, he said that the levy would return about $359,624 a year to the library. That amount was cut from the library budget last year when the state cut its funding to libraries due to revenue shortages.

The levy for 1.25 mills would be a continuing levy.

If approved, the levy would go into effect this year and would first be collected in 2011.

The funds would be used to restore cut hours, provide the money for books and magazines, maintain the library property, provide quality programs for youths and teens, and meet the changing needs of the Salem community.

The library has cut the equivalent of one and a half-time workers. It has 17 workers now, Stephens said.

He added that a pro-passage committee will be formed to promote the levy.

“Libraries can be critically important,” the librarian said. “The demand for library services has risen in the last two years.”

wilkinson@vindy.com